IOWA CITY, Iowa — Government statistics released this week claiming that 77 minors in the U.S. were killed by unintentional gun discharges last year significantly understate the scope of an enduring public health problem. A review of shoo...

MOST RECENT STORIES

Burn bans

An air pollution alert banning the burning of wood has been extended through midnight Sunday. The alert affects much of Southern California, from Orange and Los Angeles counties to Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Certain exceptions apply, including mountain communities above 3,000 feet and the Coachella Valley. Households without natural gas, as well as those that rely on wood as a sole source of heat. Also not affected by the ban: gas and non-wood-burning...

By Staff Reports|2 hrs ago

Executive branch

WASHINGTON — Time magazine on Wednesday named Donald Trump its Person of the Year, bestowing what the president-elect called an “honor” even as he derided the idea that he’ll lead “the Divided States of America.” That was a reference to Time’s cover line — “Donald Trump: President of the Divided States of America” — that was positioned next to the cover photograph of the president-elect sitting in his private...

By Laurie Kellman
Associated Press|2 days ago

War and unrest

Seventy-five years after bombs dropped on Pearl Harbor, the scope of the day remains staggering. The 90-minute attack didn’t just start a war, it pitched the world into a battle of the soul. After Pearl Harbor, people fought for their countries, but they also fought for ideals like freedom and equality. And, of course, they fought for each other. Lauren Bruner understands this down to his bones. Bruner, a La Mirada resident, is part of a fast-shrinking world...

By David Whiting
dwhiting@scng.com|2 days ago

Legal proceedings

The owner of the Granada Hills mansion where rapper Kid Cali was fatally shot in August has been issued a complaint for allegedly having an illegal house party, the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office said Tuesday. Edith Kafui Augustt, 50, was slapped with a misdemeanor land-use violation and faces a possible six months in jail and/or a $1,000 fine, authorities said. She’s set to be arraigned on Jan. 11 in the San Fernando Courthouse, according to Frank Mateljan, spokesman...

Events

LONG BEACH •Exhibit: The Long Beach Historical Society will share stories of Navy heroes through an exhibit that will touch on the impact Pearl Harbor had on Long Beach. Dubbed “Long Beach Remembers Pearl Harbor: A Year That Changed the City,” the exhibit will launch with a reception at 6 p.m. today at the Historical Society of Long Beach, 4260 Atlantic Ave. Tickets are $75. Information: 562-424-2220 or email...

By staff reports|2 days ago

Local governments

After a nearly three-hour public hearing Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors agreed unanimously to place a measure on the March ballot that asks voters to approve a quarter-cent sales tax to help fund supportive services for the homeless. Their decision was made after hearing almost all of the 125 people who signed up to address the board during a standing room only hearing in downtown L.A.’s Hall of Administration. Speakers came from as far as Lancaster and...

Legal proceedings

RIVERSIDE >> U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Meredith Jury confirmed San Bernardino’s bankruptcy plan Tuesday, clearing the way for the city to exit bankruptcy after more than four years. City officials don’t expect the plan — a comprehensive blueprint for how much the city will pay creditors and when — to become effective until March, after at...

Local governments

The reconstituted Board of Supervisors voted 4-0 Tuesday to explore strategies to protect county residents from any potential changes in federal immigration policy. Supervisor Hilda Solis recommended the analysis, saying many of her constituents are worried about President-elect Donald Trump’s statements about illegal immigration. “In the last two, three weeks people have been very disturbed, very distraught, in particular our most vulnerable, our children,”...

By Elizabeth Marcellino
City News Service|2 days ago

Local governments

The city of Los Angeles’ Public Safety Committee on Tuesday approved an agreement among three municipal departments to address the issue of hoarding conditions to better protect residents and neighbors who live adjacent to such properties. The agreement between the Los Angeles Fire Department, the city’s Department of Building and Safety and the Los Angeles Housing and Community Investment Department was structured to ensure continued collaboration in inspecting...

Labor economy

Nearly 60 percent of California voters with children living at home agree with the statement, “my children will have a better future if they leave California.” More than 75 percent now think “earning enough income to enjoy a middle-class lifestyle is becoming almost impossible in my part of California.” In Los Angeles County, it’s 87 percent. That’s from a new survey by the California Chamber of Commerce. And if you think those numbers are...